Chapter 611 - 607: Defeating Lie Yang
Chapter 611: Chapter 607: Defeating Lie Yang
Instead of retreating, Fang Han advanced, combining his Wind God Step and Sky-Splitting Sword Technique.
His figure flickered erratically, and his sword light flashed like a thunderclap, incomparably sharp.
The two clashed fiercely on the platform. Two beams of light—one crimson, one cyan-gold—collided madly, intertwining and annihilating each other.
Each collision produced a deafening roar as shockwaves spread out one after another, kicking up the fine dust on the platform’s surface and forming murky ripples in midair.
Below the stage, the other contestants were stunned.
They had originally thought Fang Han only possessed the combat power of a First-Breakthrough Martial Artist, but they never expected him to be holding back. His true strength was comparable to a Second Breakthrough Martial Artist.
And he wasn’t at any disadvantage against Lie Yang.
Qin Yuan stood on the left side of the crowd. His deep eyes, fixed on Fang Han, flickered for the first time before returning to their usual silence.
On the other side of the crowd, a ripple also passed through Lin Qingyin’s elegant eyes.
Chu Jinghong’s fingers, resting on his sword hilt, tightened slightly. In his cold eyes, it was as if a flash of sword light had just passed.
Zhen Feixuan stood at the edge of the crowd, her white martial arts attire accentuating her tall, graceful figure.
Her limpid eyes, clear as autumn waters, shone with shock.
On the stage, the two had already exchanged nearly a hundred moves.
Fang Han consistently maintained the combat power of a Second Breakthrough Martial Artist, remaining unhurried and fighting steadily.
Fighting an expert like Lie Yang while suppressing his own power had an excellent tempering effect on the coordination of his Swordsmanship and Body Technique.
With every dodge and every counterattack, his understanding of how to combine the Wind God Step and the Sky-Splitting Sword Technique deepened.
He could feel his Swordsmanship and Body Technique becoming more harmonious and fluid under the pressure of this high-intensity battle.
He had vaguely noticed this benefit during his fight with Bai Yan yesterday, and now, facing Lie Yang, the feeling was even stronger.
In contrast to Fang Han, the longer Lie Yang fought, the more alarmed he became.
He found that even after pushing his Cultivation to its absolute limit, he still couldn’t suppress Fang Han.
Fang Han’s Swordsmanship seemed to follow a strange rhythm, always neutralizing his attacks at the most exquisite moments and delivering perfectly timed counterattacks.
No matter how much power he unleashed, Fang Han could block it. It felt as if his opponent wasn’t even using his full strength, as if he himself had become a whetstone for the other’s blade.
An indescribable sense of frustration welled up inside him.
’I am the number one True Inheritor of the Blazing Flame Sect, a top-level prodigy with a First Grade Cultivation, and I’m being used as a whetstone?’
After more than a hundred moves, a sharp glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes. He had gained enough from this tempering battle.
’It’s time to end this.’
His figure blurred. Pushing the Wind God Step to its limit, he became like a wisp of true wind, drifting through a gap in the web of Lie Yang’s Fist Gang.
He swung the Cloud Splitting Sword in an upward arc, slashing toward Lie Yang’s waist.
The speed and angle of the strike were extremely tricky. Unable to dodge in time, Lie Yang hastily blocked with his left arm.
"CLANG—"
The sword’s edge struck the crimson Arm Guard on Lie Yang’s left arm, letting out a dull clang of metal on metal.
A deep gash appeared on the Arm Guard. Although it wasn’t completely pierced, the penetrating Power made Lie Yang grunt as his body slid back several yards uncontrollably.
Before he could steady himself, Fang Han’s second strike arrived.
This strike was even trickier and swifter, passing through an imperceptible gap between Lie Yang’s fists and precisely striking his right shoulder.
"SHLICK—"
With the soft sound of tearing cloth, an inch-deep wound appeared on Lie Yang’s right shoulder. Blood instantly seeped out, staining his crimson attire.
Lie Yang grunted, clenching his teeth against the sharp pain. He thrust both fists out, attempting to force Fang Han back.
But Fang Han gave him no chance to breathe. A third strike, a fourth, a fifth... Each sword strike was faster than the last, like an endless tide that completely enveloped Lie Yang.
Finally, Fang Han swept aside Lie Yang’s fists with a single strike, and the tip of the Cloud Splitting Sword came to a steady halt three inches from Lie Yang’s throat.
The chill flowing from the blade raised a fine layer of goosebumps on Lie Yang’s skin.
He froze instantly. He glanced down at the sword tip at his throat, then looked up at Fang Han.
After a moment of silence, he slowly lowered his fists.
"I’ve lost."
His voice was hoarse and low, filled with a mix of emotions—unwillingness and shock.
Fang Han sheathed his sword and nodded slightly. "Thank you for the match."
The red-robed elder’s voice rang out calmly:
"Qingyang County’s Fang Han is victorious."
The moment the red-robed elder announced the result, it was as if an invisible giant hand had seized the entire venue by the throat.
Dead silence.
An unprecedented silence.
Even the wind seemed to have stopped.
In the stands, the gazes of a hundred thousand people converged on the white-robed figure, their eyes filled with pure, unadulterated shock.
Even after Fang Han had displayed the combat power of Breaking Two Gates, many of them still believed Lie Yang would be the final victor. After all, Lie Yang was a First Grade Martial Artist.
But the result defied their expectations. The final victor was not Lie Yang, the First Grade Martial Artist, but Fang Han, the Second Grade Martial Artist.
"GULP—"
Someone swallowed hard, the sound unnervingly clear in the dead silence.
And then—
"BOOM!!!"
A wave of sound, like a bursting dam, erupted!
"Fang Han actually won!"
"Fang Han defeated a First Grade as a Second Grade!"
Cries of shock, gasps of admiration, and disbelieving murmurs intertwined, forming a deafening torrent that surged back and forth across the venue.
They had witnessed a miracle with their own eyes.
It was common for a top-level prodigy to defeat an opponent several Minor Realms above them, but for one top-level prodigy to defeat another from a higher major realm was incredibly difficult.
A young man from an ordinary county, with a Second Grade Cultivation, had forcefully defeated a True Inheritor from an Overlord-level Influence who had a First Grade Cultivation.
In the contestants’ area, the atmosphere was equally suffocatingly tense.
The contestants with First Grade Cultivation all wore different expressions.
Qin Yuan watched Fang Han’s back as he descended the Battle Platform, fell silent for a moment, and then slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
He would do more than just remember that name.
Lin Qingyin stood at the edge of the crowd, the look of surprise in her elegant eyes slowly settling.
She gently twirled a stray lock of hair by her ear and muttered to herself:
"He actually defeated Lie Yang..."
She didn’t continue, but the gravity in her eyes was self-evident.
Chu Jinghong’s fingers gently caressed his sword hilt, and a flash of sword light seemed to flicker in his cold eyes.
He didn’t speak, but his previously restrained Sword Intent rippled for a brief moment.
’My guess from yesterday came true!’
Zhen Feixuan stood in place, her white martial arts attire accentuating her upright posture.
She stared at Fang Han’s back, her limpid eyes filled with shock.
’That seemingly exaggerated guess from yesterday was right. Fang Han wasn’t using his full strength; he was still hiding more of his power.’
’Is his current strength really Fang Han’s limit?’
An uncontrollable thought surfaced in her mind. Could it be that the combat power Fang Han had just displayed was still not his true limit?
She thought the idea was absurd.
’After all, the power Fang Han has shown is already a full five Minor Realms beyond his own Cultivation. How could he possibly be any stronger?’
But a voice deep inside told her that her guess might just be true.
「In a corner of the stands.」
Luo Yuntian shot to his feet, gripping the railing in front of him so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
His lips moved, but he couldn’t form a complete sentence. His eyes were filled with irrepressible excitement and shock.
After a long moment, he finally forced out a sentence, his voice so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable:
"Senior Brother Fang... he... actually... won?"
Liu Bai sat beside him, his elegant, otherworldly face a mask of utter disbelief.
After a long while, he slowly shook his head, his voice filled with a complex, sighing tone:
"A Second Grade defeating a First Grade... Brother Fang is already beyond our comprehension."
Mad Saber said nothing.
He just stared at Fang Han’s back, astonishment churning in his sharp, blade-like eyes.
After a long time, he slowly loosened his grip on his saber hilt and let out a long breath mixed with a sigh:
"Monster."
Just then, the red-robed elder’s voice echoed through the venue:
"Eighth match: Jiang Lan of Canglan County versus Meng Yu of Qingzhou County."
Hearing the eighth match was about to begin, some in the audience felt a spark of anticipation.
Fang Han had already created a miracle. Could someone else also perform a miracle and defeat a First Grade?
But miracles are called miracles precisely because they are rare.
Jiang Lan’s attacks were like furious waves crashing against the shore. A deep blue Inner Qi formed layers of a seemingly corporeal water curtain around him, and with a single sword strike, it was as if the entire ocean came pouring down.
Meng Yu fought with all his might, his saber light weaving as he tried to find a sliver of hope in the face of this destructive power.
However, in just three moves, he was sent flying by a blast of deep blue Sword Qi, crashing heavily onto the platform dozens of yards away.
The outcome was never in doubt.
A low sigh rippled through the stands.
The eighth contestant with a Second Grade Cultivation had been defeated by a contestant with a First Grade Cultivation. There would be no repeat miracle.
The red-robed elder’s voice announced calmly, "Jiang Lan of Canglan County is victorious."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the venue. His voice wasn’t loud, but it reached every person’s ears clearly:
"Today’s matches are now over. The battle for the top four will begin tomorrow morning."
Fang Han turned and walked out of the venue.
The hem of his white robe fluttered slightly with each step, his expression as calm as ever.
"Fang Han, is that him?"
"That’s him. He defeated a First Grade while being in the Late Stage of Second Grade. Who could have imagined such a thing before today?"
"This kid is from Qingyang County. I heard he’s only from a top-level influence..."
"Only a top-level influence? This kid’s Talent is absolutely among the highest tier of prodigies."
A tide of discussion surged through the crowd. Wherever Fang Han passed, a path automatically opened up for him.
The gazes fixed on him were filled with awe, curiosity, shock, and even a hint of undisguised jealousy.
Even after Fang Han’s figure disappeared at the end of the passage, the discussions still had not died down.
Everyone knew that after today, the name Fang Han would surely spread throughout the entire Imperial Capital.